Seat for snowmobile or other similar vehicle

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a seat for snowmobile, personal watercraft or all terrain vehicle, which is filled of synthetic foam and extends horizontally over a given length and on which the user of the vehicle may seat astride. The seat is provided with a cavity that extends horizontally over at least one part of its length. The cavity is filled with an inflated inner tube that acts as an additional suspension for the user. The presence of this inner tube gives additional suspension effect and solves most of the problems of density and performance losses that are usually encountered when the seat is only filled up with synthetic foam. Preferably, the cavity provided within the seat has a length greater than the one of the inner tube so as to give extra space and thus allows the inner tube to expand in the case of an impact.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat for snowmobile or anyother similar vehicle where the user is sat astride.

[0002] By way of examples of such similar vehicles, reference can bemade to personal watercrafts, all terrain vehicles (ATV) and any othervehicles wherein the user is sat astride onto an horizontal seat of agiven length usually filled with synthetic foam and mounted onto a rigidsupport.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0003] As indicated hereinabove, the seat of snowmobile or other similarvehicle of the above mentioned type comprises an horizontal seat thatmay be provided with the back rest. This seat is filled with syntheticfoam and mounted onto a rigid support which is itself connected to theframe of the vehicle. The problem with this kind of seat is that theonly suspension that is offered to the user is exclusively “restricted”to the synthetic foam that fills it up.

[0004] However, the density of the synthetic foam and its performance toabsorb impacts are essentially related to the weight of the user.

[0005] In addition to this limitation, the density and performance ofthe foam may vary over the time if the user is very heavy and his weightdeforms and scratches the foam.

[0006] Moreover, the density as well as the performance of the foam alsodepend on the external temperature. Indeed, the performance of the foammay vary in a substantial manner when the temperature varies within alarge range of temperatures, as is the case in countries like Canadawhere the external temperature may vary from −30° to +30° C.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It has now been discovered that when an horizontal cavity isprovided in at least one part of the length of the seat and this cavityis filled up with an inner tube inflated at a given pressure, one mayobtain an additional suspension effect and thus may solve all theproblems of losses of density and performance usually encountered whenthe seat is exclusively filled with synthetic foam.

[0008] Thus, with such an inner tube, it becomes possible for the seatto keep its shape and performance indefinitely, independently of theuser's weight, the external temperature and/or the life time.

[0009] In fact, one may obtain even better performance than before,since the air in the inner tube is almost not affected by the cold, theheat or the presence of water and since its reaction to an impact whenthe vehicle moves, is different in synchronisation when the one of thesuspension of the vehicle, thereby resulting in much higher shockabsorption and much better comfort for the user.

[0010] Thus, the present invention provides a seat for snowmobile orother vehicle, which seat is of a given length and filled of syntheticfoam and extends horizontally onto a rigid support. In accordance withthe invention, this seat is provided with a cavity that extendshorizontally over at least one part of its length and such a cavity isfilled with an inflated inner tube so as to provide additionalsuspension for a user.

[0011] Preferably, the cavity provided in the seat has a length greaterthan the one of the inner tube so as to give extra space and thus allowthe inner tube to expand in an horizontal plane in the case of animpact.

[0012] Preferably also, the inner tube is held in a sleeve having atleast one open end. The sleeve only prevents the inner tube fromdilating in a direction other than the longitudinal one in the case ofan impact.

[0013] The invention and its various advantages will be betterunderstood upon reading the following description of several preferredembodiments thereof, made reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 identified as “prior art”, is a side elevational view of asnowmobile, showing the seat of the same in cross-section;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in cross-section of a seat ofsnowmobile according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the seat when the sameis deformed due to an impact;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional top view of an inner tube held withina sleeve, as used in the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0018]FIGS. 5 and 6 are illustrations of possible variants of the innertube; and

[0019]FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional top views of other type of innertube possibly useful within sleeves.

DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] As mentioned in the “Brief Description of the Prior Art” givenhereinabove, the seat 1 for snowmobile or other similar vehicle on whichthe user may seat astride comprises an horizontal body (also called seat3) usually provided with a small backrest 5. The seat 3 is fully filledwith synthetic foam and mounted onto a rigid support 7 fixed to theframe of the vehicle.

[0021] Usually, this kind of seat also comprises a rear trunk 1 1provided with a manually openable access door 13.

[0022] This basic structure is very conventional and needs not bedescribed in greater details.

[0023] As previously mentioned, the problem of this kind of seat is thatit is exclusively made of foam, except of course for its covering.Therefore, the problem is that the density of the foam as well as itsperformance may vary as a function of the time, especially when the userof the vehicle is very heavy. In addition, the foam does not give a realsuspension effect, and, more specifically, a real absorption effect whenthe vehicle moves over bumps and gives impacts to the user.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention overcomes thisproblem that has been known for years and for which no solution has beenfound so far. More specifically, the invention consists in removing aportion of the foam forming the “heart” of the seat in order to form acavity 15 that extends horizontally over at least one part of the lengthof the seat, and preferably over the full length thereof. This cavity 15is filled with an inner tube that may be inflated in such a manner as toact as an additional suspension for the user.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cavity 15 made in the seatpreferably has a length greater than the one of the inner tube 17 togive some extra free space to the same and thus allows the inner tube 17to expand in the horizontal direction in the case of an impact. The waythe inlet tube can be deformed thanks to the free space left can be seenby comparing FIGS. 1 and 3.

[0026] It is worth noting that the free space 19 left to ensure anexpansion of the inner tube may be left empty as shown, or may be filledup with another foam that is highly compressible. In all the cases, theonly requirement is that the inner tube may be free to expand in anhorizontal direction during an impact and thus to ensure bettersuspension.

[0027] For a practical standpoint, the inner tube may have any shape,provided that it may fill up the cavity and provide a good support forthe user. Examples of possible shapes that may have the inner tube, areshown in FIGS. 4 to 8 of the drawings.

[0028] In the embodiments shown in FIG. 4, the inner tube is in the formof a ring where the central part may be filled up with a block made offoam 21. This is also the case of the inner tube shown in FIG. 8.

[0029] In the other illustrated embodiment, the inlet tube consists of asingle element that may be of oval shape as shown in FIG. 5, or ofrectangular shape as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0030] In order to retain the inner tube and more especially to ensurethat it expands in the right direction, namely the longitudinaldirection, in order to avoid uncomfortable for the user seat astrideonto the seat, the inner tube 17 is preferably held within a flexiblesleeve 23 which must of course have at least one end opening at theplace where is located the free space left within the cavity 15. Thissleeve avoids that the inner tube dilates in direction other than thelongitudinal direction in the case of an impact.

[0031] To facilitate maintenance of the seat and/or adaptation of it asthe function of the weight of the user, the inner tube 17 may beprovided with an air inlet tube 25 which extends within the trunk 11.This inlet tube 25 is preferably closed by a valve 27 which also extendswithin the trunk and to which can be connected a pump. Such permits toinflate the inlet tube at will depending on the user's needs.

[0032] In practice, tests made by the inventors have shown that apressure as low as 0.75 to 2 psi is perfectly sufficient to obtainexcellent comfort and suspension effects.

[0033] To facilitate maintenance of the vehicle, the pump that may beused for inflating the inner tube, may be fixed in a permanent manner tothe valve. In this connection, one may refer to FIG. 4 which shows anembodiment of the invention wherein a pump 29 is fixed to the valvetogether with a pressure gauge 31 in order to check the pressure withinthe inner tube.

[0034] As mentioned hereinabove, tests were carried out by theinventors. These tests made with an inlet tube as shown in FIG. 4 at apressure about 1 psi have proved to be very positive and have actuallydemonstrated the efficiency of the present invention.

[0035] Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the preferredembodiments disclosed hereinabove without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

1. A seat for snowmobile or other similar vehicle, said seat being of agiven length and filled of synthetic foam and extending horizontallyonto a rigid support, wherein said seat is provided with a cavity thatextends horizontally over at least one part of its length and saidcavity is filled with an inflated inner tube so as to provide additionalsuspension for a user.
 2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein thecavity within the seat has a length greater than the one of the innertube in order to give some extra space and thus allow the inner tube toexpand in a horizontal plane in the case of an impact.
 3. The seataccording to claim 1, wherein the inner tube is held within a sleevehaving at least one opened end, said sleeve preventing the inner tubefrom dilating in directions other than the longitudinal one in the caseof an impact.
 4. The seat according to claim 1, further comprising arear trunk that manually openable and is also mounted onto the rigidsupport of the seat, wherein the inner tube is provided with an airinlet tube which extends within the trunk and is closed by a valve whichalso extends within the trunk and to which an air pump can be connected.5. The seat according to claim 4, wherein the pump is connected to thevalve in a permanent manner and sized to be stored within the trunk. 6.The seat according to claim 4, wherein the valve is provided with apressure gauge.
 7. The seat according to claim 1, wherein, in use, theinner tube is inflated at a pressure ranging from 0.75 to 2 psi.
 8. Theseat according to claim 2, wherein the inner tube is held within asleeve having at least one end open, said sleeve preventing the innertube from dilating in direction over than the longitudinal one in thecase of an impact.
 9. The seat according to claim 8, further comprisinga rear trunk that manually openable and is also mounted onto the rigidsupport of the seat, wherein the inner tube is provided with an airinlet tube which extends within the trunk and is closed by a valve whichalso extends within the trunk and to which can be connected an air pump.10. The seat according to claim 9, wherein the pump is connected to thevalve in a permanent manner and sized to be stored within the trunk. 11.The seat according to claim 10, wherein the valve is provided with apressure gauge.